Adjustable width punch marking apparatus with interchangeable spacer inserts

ABSTRACT

A photographic printer has a punch marking system for placing cut and end-of-order marks on the photographic paper. The punch marking mechanism is adjustable to accommodate different widths of print paper. The punch marking mechanism includes guide rods which are positioned transverse to the path of the print paper. First and second carriage assemblies are movable along the guide path defined by the guide rods on opposite sides of the center line of the paper path. A lead screw moves both the first and second carriage assemblies along the guide path in an essentially symmetrical manner about the center line of the paper path. Interchangeable inserts of different widths may be inserted between the carriages to define a spacing between the first and second carriages for a desired paper width. The punches or other marking devices are carried on the first and second carriage assemblies.

REFERENCE TO CO-PENDING APPLICATION

Reference is made to co-pending applications by J. Bowe and J. StewartSer. No. 064,131, filed Aug. 6, 1979 entitled "Adjustable Width PunchMarking Apparatus for Photograhic Printer" and by R. Anderson and J.Wedel Ser. No. 063,674, filed Aug. 6, 1979 entitled "Modular PunchMarking Apparatus", which were filed on even date with this applicationand are assigned to the same assignee as this application.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to photographic processing equipment. Inparticular, the present invention is an adjustable width marking systemfor providing cut and end-of-order marks on photographic print paperstrips.

2. Description of the Prior Art

In commercial photographic processing operations very high rates ofprocessing need to be achieved and maintained in order to operateprofitably. To expedite the photographic processing, films of similartype and size are spliced together for developing and printing purposes.After the films are developed, a photographic printer prints thephotographic images contained in the film in an edge-to-edgerelationship on a continuous strip of photosensitive paper. Thephotographic printer causes high intensity light to be passed throughthe film and imaged on the photographic print paper, thereby exposingthe photographic emulsion layers of the print paper. The print paper issubsequently removed from the printer and developed. A photographicpaper cutter cuts individual prints from the strip, the prints aresorted by customer order (either manually or automatically), and areultimately packaged and sent to the customer.

Automatic photographic paper cutters have been developed whichautomatically cut the print paper into individual prints. Theseautomatic paper cutters are controlled by indicia which are placed alongthe print paper by the photographic printer. Typically the indicia areof two types: cut marks and end-of-order marks. Cut marks indicate thedesired location of a cut between adjacent prints. End-of-order marks,which typically appear along the opposite edge of the print paper fromthe cut marks, indicate the end of a customer's order. The automaticpaper cutter includes a sensor which senses the cut marks and causes theindividual prints to be cut from the strip at desired locations. Theseparated prints are passed to an order packaging or grouping devicewhich groups the prints in response to the end-of-order marks which aresensed by the automatic cutter.

In many photographic printers the cut marks and end-of-order marks areproduced by solenoid driven paper punches, which punch a small hole ornotch at or near the edge of the print paper. Another type of device forproducing cut marks and end-of-order marks uses small light sourcespositioned in the opposite edges of the print paper. The cut marks andend-of-order marks are produced by energizing the appropriate lightsource. This causes a small portion of the print paper to be exposed.The intensity and duration of the light from the light source creates asmall dark photographically produced mark near the edge of the printpaper.

It is important that the cut marks and end-of-order marks be placed in apredictable position with respect to the edges of the photographic printpaper, so that the marks can be sensed reliably. In large photofinishingoperations a photographic printer may be "dedicated" to a single size ofprint, and the position of the marking devices is originally set and isadjusted infrequently. In smaller photofinishing operations the sameprinter often is used to make prints of different sizes, which generallyentails a change in the width of the print paper. In photographicprinters which handle more than one width of print paper, theadjustments of the cut and end-of-order marking devices can prove to bequite time-consuming. Whenever the width of print paper is changed, themarking devices must be readjusted so that they have the proper positionwith respect to the edges of the print paper. There is a need forimproved cut and end-of-order marking devices which can be used with avariety of paper widths, while not requiring time-consuming adjustments.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention is an adjustable indicia producing apparatus forproviding cut and end-of-order indicia on photographic print paperstrips. The apparatus is adjustable to accommodate print paper strips ofdifferent widths.

The apparatus of the present invention includes guide means which definea guide path which is transverse to the path of the print paper strip.First and second carriage assemblies are movable along the guide path onopposite sides of the center line of the paper path. The first andsecond carriage assemblies are positioned by carriage positioning means.The movement of the first and second carriage assemblies along the guidepath is essentially symmetrical about the center line of the paper path.

A plurality of interchangeable inserts of different widths may beinserted between the first and second carriage means. Each insertdefines a space between the first and second carriage assemblies for aparticular desired print paper width.

Carried on the first carriage assembly is first indicia producing means,which provides indicia at selected positions of the print paper. Inpreferred embodiments, second indicia producing means carried by thesecond carriage assembly also provides indicia at selected positions ofthe print paper.

The apparatus of the present invention, therefore, provides easyadjustment to accommodate print paper strips of different widths. When achange in width is desired, the carriage positioning means first movesthe first and second carriage assemblies apart, and the insert betweenthe first and second carriage assemblies is removed. A different insert,corresponding to the new desired print paper width is inserted, and thecarriage positioning means moves the first and second carriageassemblies back together symmetrically along the guide path until thespacing defined by the new insert is attained. The spacing of the firstand second carriage assemblies with respect to one another and thecenter line of the print paper path is determined. The locations of thefirst and second indicia means with respect to the edges of the paper,therefore, are also determined, and no further adjustment is necessary.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a top view of the apparatus of the present invention on aphotographic printer.

FIG. 2 is a side view of the apparatus of FIG. 1 including a portion ofthe optics of the photographic printer.

FIG. 3 is an inclined front view of the apparatus.

FIG. 4 is a side view of the punch assembly carriage taken along theline 4--4 in FIG. 3.

FIG. 5 is a top view of the spacer insert of the present invention.

FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view taken along the line 6--6 in FIG. 5.

FIG. 7 is an inclined front view of the apparatus without the spacerinsert in place.

FIG. 8 is an inclined front view of the apparatus with a wide spacerinsert.

FIG. 9 is an inclined front view of the apparatus with a spacer insertbetween a carriage assembly and a dummy carriage.

FIG. 10 is a bottom view of the punch marking module.

FIG. 11 is a top view of a portion of the paper mask showing themounting assembly for mounting the punch marking module.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

FIGS. 1 and 2 show an adjustable indicia producing apparatus of thepresent invention generally indicated at 10 on a photographic printer12. The photographic printer 12 has photographic print paper 14 beingtransported along a path defined by a center line 16. A paper mask 18and a punch spacer insert 21 define two transverse borders 22a and 22bof exposed area 22 of the photographic print paper 14. The other twoborders of the exposed area are defined by side edges 14a and 14b of theprint paper 14, since the embodiment shown is producing borderlessprints. FIG. 2 shows a portion of the optics 20 of the photographicprinter 12 that is used to expose area 22.

A guide means, generally indicated at 24 in FIGS. 1-3, defines a guidepath transverse to the center line 16 of the print paper 14. The guidemeans 24 includes a plurality of guide rods also positioned transverseto the center line 16 of the print paper 14. In the preferred embodimentthe guide means 24 includes top guide rod 26 and bottom guide rod 28.The top guide rod 26 and the bottom guide rod 28 are fixedly attached toleft holder 30 at one end and to right holder end 32 at the other end.The guide rods 26 and 28 are preferably made of a smooth metal.

A first carriage assembly 34 and a second carriage assembly 36 areslidably supported by and move along the path defined by the top guiderod 26 and the bottom guide rod 28. First carriage assembly 34 andsecond carriage assembly 36 are movable only on their respective sidesof center line 16. Thus, the first carriage assembly 34 is movable onlyon the right side of the center line 16 and the second carriage assembly36 is movable only on the left side of center line 16.

A carriage positioning lead screw 38 is positioned essentially parallelto the top guide rod 26 and bottom guide rod 28. The lead screw 38 has afirst threaded portion 40 and a second oppositely threaded portion 42for moving the first carriage assembly 34 and the second carriageassembly 36 along the guide path defined by the guide rods 26 and 28.The carriage assemblies 34 and 36 are positioned initially so as to movesymmetrically in opposing directions about the center line 16 propelledby the threaded portions 40 and 42.

The lead screw 38 is rotatably attached preferably to right holder end32 and has an adjustment screw knob 44 fixedly attached to one end forrotating the lead screw 38. The lead screw 38 is held in the positionadjusted to by lead screw lock 46.

The carriage assemblies 34 and 36 include solenoid assembly 48, indiciaproducing assembly 50 and traversing block 52 as shown in FIGS. 3 and 4.The carriage assemblies 34 and 36 are mirror images of each other, andthe same reference numerals are used to indicate similar components ofassemblies 34 and 36.

The solenoid assembly 48 includes a solenoid 54, a solenoid supportspacer 56, and a solenoid top plate assembly 58. The solenoid top plateassembly 58 is best seen in FIG. 4 and includes Microswitch 60 mountedon bracket 62 and conductively connected to electrical connector 64 byelectrical conductor 66. Microswitch 60 provides a signal whichindicates when solenoid 54 has driven punch 72 downward into engagementwith paper 14 and further provides a signal when punch 72 has retracted.These signals provide a failsafe check on the operation of punch 72 toensure that punch 72 is not struck.

The indicia producing assembly 50 is preferably a hole punch producingassembly which is actuated by solenoid rod 68. The assembly includes aspring bias 70, punch 72, punch guiding block 74, punch die 76 and chaddeflector 78. The spring bias 70 is held in place by a retaining washer80 and a recess 82 within punch guiding block 74. The spring bias 70 ispreferably a coil spring coiled around the punch 72 biasing the punch 72in a retracted position. Punch 72 engages punch die 76 to produce apunched hole in the print paper 14. The chad 84 produced by the punch 72is deflected by chad deflector 78.

The solenoid assembly 54 and the indicia producing assembly 50 arefixedly attached to traversing block 52. The traversing block 52slidably engages top guide rod 26 and bottom guide rod 28 and ispropelled by carriage positioning lead screw 38.

The punch spacer insert 21 defines the spacing between the firstcarriage assembly 34 and the second carriage assembly 36 by beingpositioned between the two carriage assemblies. The punch spacer insertalso defines one transverse border 22b of the exposed area 22 by an edge86. Insert 21 also overlaps mask 18 at insert edge 87 (as best shown inFIG. 4) and acts as the light seal for shielding the remainder of theprint paper to prevent double exposure.

Punch spacer insert 21 is held in place by a punch spacer key 88engaging a punch spacer key recess 92 of the punch spacer 21 and a punchspacer shaft 90 (which is connected to punch spacer key 88) engaging apunch spacer shaft recess 94 of punch spacer 21. The midpoint of thepunch spacer key 88 is positioned on center line 16 as shown in FIG. 3and is fixedly attached to rigid member 96, which in turn is fixedlyattached to right holder end 32 and left holder end 30. The mid point ofthe recess 92 is the mid point of the punch spacer insert 21, and whenrecess 92 engages punch spacer key 88, exactly one-half of the punchspacer insert 21 is to the right of the center line 16 and the otherhalf of the punch spacer insert 21 is to the left of the center line 16.The punch spacer insert 21 is held in place by a ball plunger 98 whichengages punch spacer shaft 90, as best seen in FIG. 6. The ball plunger98 allows the shaft 90 to be snapped into recess 94 and held in placeand to be easily removed when a different punch spacer insert 21 isdesired.

The punch spacer insert 21 also engages the punch guiding block 74 offirst carriage assembly 34 with right spacer insert end 100 at point 104and engages the punching guide block 74 of the second carriage assembly36 with left spacer insert end 102 at point 105. The punch spacer insert21 has a slot 106 at both right end 100 and left end 102, as shown inFIG. 5. Slot 106 provides clearance for punch 72 to pass through inpunching print paper 14. In general, slot 106 is made as small aspractical while still providing the necessary clearance, since the areaof print paper 14 under slot 106 will be double-exposed, and the extentof this double-exposed area should be as small as possible.

FIG. 7 shows the present invention without the spacer insert 21 in placeand with carriage assemblies 34 and 36 spaced slightly further apartthan their final spacing after insert 21 is inserted. In FIG. 7 paper 14has been threaded and both edges 14a and 14b of print paper 14 ride atopthe punch die 76 of the indicia producing assembly 50. The punch spacerinsert 21 is then inserted on top of the print paper 14 and the firstand second assemblies 34 and 36 are moved toward the spacer insert 21 byturning screw knob 44 until the assemblies engage the insert. The papertravels between the punch die and the punch spacer insert. Analternative method is to insert the punch spacer insert and engage itwith the carriage assemblies prior to threading the print paper 14between the punch die and the punch spacer insert. However, this methodis more difficult to do in the dark.

For wider paper widths and thus wider punch spacer inserts 21, the punchspacer insert 21 includes guide punch spacer blocks 108 and 110 forfurther support as shown in FIG. 8. The spacer blocks 108 and 110 engagepins 114 which are fixedly attached to punch guiding blocks 74 of bothfirst carriage assembly 34 and second carriage assembly 36. Engagementof guide punch spacer blocks 108 and 110 with pins 114 prevent possiblemovement at the end of the wide punch spacer insert 21.

In some photofinishing operations, only cut marks are needed, andend-of-order marks are unnecessary. FIG. 9 shows an embodiment of thepresent invention in which only cut marks are produced along edge 14a ofprint paper 14. In FIG. 9 a dummy carriage assembly 116 replaces secondcarriage assembly 36. Dummy carriage assembly 116 slidably engages topguide rod 26 and bottom guide rod 28, and is propelled by carriageposition lead screw 38 and engages spacer insert 21 in the same manneras second carriage assembly 36 (which it has replaced), but does nothave the indicia producing assembly 50 or the solenoid assembly 48. Thepurpose of the dummy carriage assembly 116 is to provide the capabilityof producing indicia on only one side of print paper 14 and stillprovide an engaging surface for punch spacer insert 21. The dummycarriage 116 also has a pin 114 to engage a guide punch spacer block ofa wide punch spacer insert. Similarly in operations in which cut marksonly are desired along edge 14b, a dummy carriage assembly which is themirror image of dummy carriage 116 replaces first carriage assembly 34.

As shown in the Figures, the punch marking apparatus preferably forms amodule which is attached to paper mask 18 by a quick connect/disconnectmounting assembly. When a different print length is desired, therebynecessitating a different paper mask, the entire punch marking module isquickly disconnected from the paper mask, the previous paper mask isremoved and a new paper mask is inserted, and the punch marking moduleis connected to the new paper mask. The quick connect/disconnectmounting assembly automatically centers the punch marking moduleproperly with respect to the paper mask.

The quick connect/disconnect mounting assembly is best illustrated inFIGS. 4, 10 and 11. FIG. 4 is a sectional view of the entire assembly;FIG. 10 is a bottom view of the entire punch marking module; and FIG. 11is a top view of paper mask 18 showing the portion of paper mask 18which receives and holds the punch marking module. In FIG. 11, theposition of rigid member 96 of the punch marking module is illustratedin phantom.

As shown in the Figures, the connection of the punch marking module andpaper mask 18 is made by means of rigid member 96, which extends betweenend holders 30 and 32 and forms the bottom of the punch markingassembly. Connected to the top surface of mask 18 is mounting base 118.A pair of detent bars 124 are attached to the top surface of mountingbase 118 proximate edge 118a, which is closest to the open area of mask18. Positioned proximate opposite edge 118b of mounting base 118 are twoupstanding guide or registration pins 126.

Rigid member 96 has four ball plungers 128 positioned along edge 96a. Inaddition, member 96 has a ball plunger 130 at each end 96b and 96c. Whenthe punch marking module is connected to mask 18, edge 96d of member 96is inserted under the heads of registration pins 126 and member 96 ispivoted downward until ball plungers 128 and 130 engage detent bars 124.Ball plungers 128 engage surfaces 124a of detent bars 124 and applyforce to member 96 to hold edge 96d securely against registration pins126. Ball plungers 130 engage recesses or grooves 132 at the ends ofdetent bars 124 and side edges 134, 136 of the mounting base engage endplate holders 30, 32. The ball plungers 130 and grooves 132 form a snaplock means for releasably holding member 96, and therefore the punchmarking module, in engagement with mounting base 118. The end plateholders 30, 32 engaging the mounting base sides 134, 136 hold the punchmarking module securely in the transverse direction.

When removal of the punch marking module is desired, the assembly ispivoted to pop ball plungers 130 out of grooves 132 and to move ballplungers 128 out of engagement with surfaces 124a of detent bars 124.Member 96 is then moved out of engagement with registration pins 126 andthe entire module is lifted away from paper mask 18.

In use, the apparatus of the present invention provides an easy methodfor adjusting to different print paper widths. When a change in width isdesired, the carriage positioning lead screw 38 first moves the firstand second carriage assemblies 34 and 36 apart, and the spacer insert 21between the first and second carriage assemblies is removed. A differentspacer insert 21 corresponding to the new desired print paper width isinserted by means of punch spacer key 88 and punch spacer shaft 90 andcorresponding recesses 92 and 94 in punch spacer insert 21 as shown inFIG. 5. The carriage positioning lead screw 38 moves the first andsecond carriage assemblies 34 and 36 back together symmetrically alongthe guide path defined by top and bottom guide rods 26 and 28 until thespace defined by the new spacer insert 21 is attained. The small amountof transverse movement of lead screw 38 permitted by retaining rings 134and 136 allows both carriage assemblies to engage the spacer insert 21even though one carriage assembly may engage the spacer insert slightlysooner than the other. Additionally, when a wide spacer insert 21 isbeing used the first and second carriage assemblies 34 and 36 willengage the guide punch spacer blocks 108 and 110 with pins 114.

In this manner the spacing of the first and second carriage assemblieswith respect to one another and with respect to the center line of theprint paper is quickly and easily determined. The location of the firstand second indicia producing assemblies 50 with respect to edges 14a and14b of the print paper 14 is also positively determined with no furtheradjustment necessary. This is especially helpful when setting up in thedark.

Although the present invention has been described with reference to apreferred embodiment, persons skilled in the art will recognize thatchanges may be made in form and detail without departing from the spiritand scope of the invention. For example, the preferred embodiments shownin the Figures use a punch type of indicia producing apparatus. It canbe seen, however, that the present invention is equally applicable toother types of indicia producing devices such as light sources forphotographically producing cut and end-of-order marks which aresupported by the carriage assemblies.

What is claimed is:
 1. In a photographic printer in which a photographicprint paper strip is transported along a paper path and is exposed tolight from a photographic film original at a print mask location,adjustable indicia producing apparatus for providing indicia at selectedlocations of the print paper and being adjustable to accommodate printpaper strips of different widths, the adjustable indicia producingapparatus comprising:guide means positioned proximate the print masklocation and defining a guide path transverse to the paper path; firstand second carriage means movable along the guide path on oppositesides, respectively, of a center line of the paper path; carriagepositioning means for moving the first and second carriage means alongthe guide path essentially symmetrically about a center line of thepaper path; insert means for insertion between the first and secondcarriage means and for engagement with the first and second carriagemeans thereby defining a spacing between the first and second carriagemeans for a desired print paper width; and first indicia producing meanscarried by the first carriage means for providing indicia at selectedlongitudinal positions as the print paper is advanced along the paperpath, the first indicia producing means having a position transverse tothe paper path which is established by engagement of the first carriagemeans with the insert means.
 2. The invention of claim 1 and furthercomprising:locating means for locating the insert means with respect tothe center line of the paper path.
 3. The invention of claim 1 andfurther comprising:second indicia producing means carried by the secondcarriage means for providing indicia at selected longitudinal positionsas the print paper is advanced along the paper path, the second indiciaproducing means having a position transverse to the punch path which isestablished by engagement of the second carriage with the insert means.4. The invention of claim 3 wherein the first indicia producing meansprovides cut indicia indicative of a desired cut location of each print,and wherein the second indicia producing means provides end-of-orderindicia indicative of an end of each customer order.
 5. The invention ofclaim 4 wherein the first and second indicia producing means are firstand second paper punches.
 6. The invention of claim 5 wherein the firstand second paper punches are controlled by first and second solenoidmeans mounted on and movable with the first and second carriage means,respectively.
 7. The invention of claim 6 wherein the insert means has afirst and second slot for first and second paper punches, respectively,to pass through and punch the print paper.
 8. In a photographic printerin which a photographic print paper strip is transported along a paperpath and is exposed to light from a photographic film original at aprint mask location, adjustable indicia producing apparatus forproviding indicia at selected locations of the print paper and beingadjustable to accommodate print paper strips of different widths, theadjustable indicia producing apparatus comprising:guide means positionedproximate the print mask location and defining a guide path transverseto the paper path; first and second carriage means movable along theguide path on opposite sides, respectively, of a center line of thepaper path; carriage positioning means for moving the first and secondcarriage means along the guide path essentially symmetrically about acenter line of the paper path; insert means for insertion between thefirst and second carriage means define a spacing between the first andsecond carriage means for a desired print paper width; and first indiciaproducing means carried by the first carriage means for providingindicia at selected positions of the print paper; a spacer key locatedat a fixed position with respect to the center line of the paper width;and a spacer key recess in the insert means for engaging the spacer keyand for locating the insert means with respect to the center line of thepaper path.
 9. The invention of claim 8 wherein the spacer key furtherincludes:a spacer shaft rigidly connected to the spacer key and parallelto the insert means;and the spacer key recess further includes: a spacershaft recess in the insert means for engaging the spacer shaft; and aball plunger for securing the spacer shaft in the spacer shaft recess.10. In a photographic printer in which a photographic print paper stripis transported along a paper path and is exposed to light from aphotographic film original at a print mask location, adjustable indiciaproducing apparatus for providing indicia at selected locations of theprint paper and being adjustable to accommodate print paper strips ofdifferent widths, the adjustable indicia producing apparatuscomprising:guide means positioned proximate the print mask location anddefining a guide path transverse to the paper path; first and secondcarriage means movable along the guide path on opposite sides,respectively, of a center line of the paper path; carriage positioningmeans for moving the first and second carriage means along the guidepath essentially symmetrically about a center line of the paper path;insert means for insertion between the first and second carriage meansdefine a spacing between the first and second carriage means for adesired print paper width wherein the insert means has an edgeessentially transverse to the paper path which defines a masking edge atthe print mask location; and first indicia producing means carried bythe first carriage means for providing indicia at selected positions ofthe print paper.
 11. The invention of claim 10 wherein the first andsecond carriage means has insert engaging means for engaging insertmeans at first and second opposite ends.
 12. The invention of claim 11wherein the first and second engaging means of the first and secondcarriage means comprise first and second insert engaging pins, andwherein the insert means has first and second pin receiving holes forreceiving the first and second pins, respectively.
 13. In a photographicprinter in which a photographic print paper strip is transported along apaper path and is exposed to light from a photographic film original ata print mask location, adjustable indicia producing apparatus forproviding indicia at selected locations of the print paper and beingadjustable to accommodate print paper strips of different widths, theadjustable indicia producing apparatus comprising:guide means positionedproximate the print mask location and defining a guide path transverseto the paper path; first and second carriage means movable along theguide path on opposite sides, respectively, of a center line of thepaper path; carriage positioning means for moving the first and secondcarriage means along the guide path essentially symmetrically about acenter line of the paper path; insert means for insertion between thefirst and second carriage means define a spacing between the first andsecond carriage means for a desired print paper width wherein the insertmeans comprises a plurality of interchangeable inserts of differentwidths, each insert defining a desired spacing between the first andsecond carriage means for a particular desired print paper width; andfirst indicia producing means carried by the first carriage means forproviding indicia at selected positions of the print paper.